Sam The Wine Teacher 
The Summer Rosé Edition 2016 Rosé (Skaha Vineyard) Kraze Legz Kaleden, BC $19.85 Made from Merlot, this wine is pale salmon coloured with medium-light intensity. Red fruit jumps out of the glass – wild strawberries, Rainer cherries, rhubarb and watermelon. Well balanced with good mouthfeel. The flavours follow the nose. A medium-plus finish. This is … Read more
With just weeks to go, this is the perfect time to remind everyone how good BC Pinot Noir is and of the upcoming event which showcases these wines. 2016 was a sad year for Pinot lovers as there was no BC Pinot Noir Celebration. The previous venue had already been booked and no other suitable … Read more
2016 Gamay Noir Rosé (Secrest Mountain) Haywire Summerland, BC $22.90 Structured like a top quality Provencal Rosé with more pronounced aromas and flavours. Organically grown Gamay from the Secrest Vineyard in Oliver and fermented with native yeasts, this wine is cherry red with medium-intensity. The nose is bold with aromas of cherry, strawberry herbs … Read more
2016 Pinot Gris (Estate) Blue Grouse Duncan, BC $22.00 Made from old vine Pinot Gris estate grapes. Straw coloured with medium-light intensity. Pear, melon and peaches and cream on the nose. Good balance and creamy texture. The flavours reflect the nose followed by a medium-plus finish. I suggest serving this with fresh scallops … Read more
Thanks to Katrina D’Costa and Mohamed Awad for inviting me to help them celebrate the one-year anniversary of Penticton’s Play Estate Winery. There was a big turn out for this event and those in attendance were either early fans or recent converts. General Manager and winemaker Mohamed Awad, having cut his chops at several other … Read more
It’s always good to stop into 8th Generation when I am in Summerland, though it is seldom good for my credit card balance. Usually I stop by to see if they still have some of their unique Pinot Meunier Rosé or to pick up some of their award winning Rieslings. I go in with … Read more
Having been a home wine maker for over 25 years, I have always been a little leery about ‘wild’ yeast fermentations. ‘Wild’ yeast is also known as ‘ambient’, ‘feral’ or ‘natural’ yeast. My scepticism is not without reason; having bought crushed grapes that began to ferment on their own, before I had a chance … Read more
I was lucky enough to be invited to judge at this year’s Lieutenant Governor’s Wine Awards, held at Government House in Victoria. These wine awards, established in 2003, by then Lieutenant Governor Iona Campagnolo, are designed to recognize excellence in wine making. Unlike other competitions, there are no bronze, silver or gold medals handed … Read more
The location – Mayne Island. The setting – stunning ocean view The weather – perfect. The cast – the usual Tasting Ten gang minus one. The challenge? Ten glasses of Pinot Noir. Rate them, rank them and try to guess the country of origin. Could it be any better? This was the most recent event … Read more
I dropped by Singletree in April for their spring release and after opening their Rosé for dinner one night decided I had to head back out for more. A sunny Sunday offered just the right excuse to go for a drive to Abbotsford. The Mount Lehman area of Abbotsford has been home to one … Read more